I am trying to figure out whether the word “sambo” was ever really used by white people as a slur against black people. Can anyone demonstrate or cite that this is the case?
I understand that the book “Little Black Sambo” had illustrations that made use of the racist “golliwog” or “pickaninny” stereotype, clearly unacceptable by modern terms. But the text itself does not seem to be racist. It seems to me that the word “Sambo” itself only became controversial because of its association with these illustrations, by way of the book.
As offensive as everyone thinks this word is, I can’t find any reference of anyone actually using it as hate speech. My theory is: because of the book, the word “sambo” came to be equated with “golligwog” illustrations. Those illustrations were very offensive and yet they were popular for a time. It seems possible that the word became tainted by association, rather than by use as hate speech.
I hope the question is clear… I am not off on a quest to justify racist stereotypes or trivialize people’s reactions to them. Neither am I seeking over-reaching etymologies of the word itself. I am just trying to understand the true history of this word’s usage in the US.
Actually, the original illustrations were not offensive, either. The truly horrible illustrations were used in a few later editions.
However, the name Sambo has been used in offensive stereotypes from a period at least 50 years prior to the release of Ms. Bannerman’s 1899 tale. The name appeared in British works more frequently than American works, but it was often, perhaps even typically, used as the name given to an oversexed black man, both in pulp fiction and in pornography.
I think Sambo was more a British term. I may be wrong but I THINK it popped up in an Enid Blyton (Famous Five?) book in a derogatory way and in other popular culture (Poms, what was that programme with the black and white neighbours? Didn’t he call him sambo?)
I am speaking for myself, but while I (and other British and Commonwealth types) KNOW that the ‘N’ word is hugely offensive in the US, it was never really used here so there is not the venom attached to the word that there is in the US (though it is “in” now in the Hip-Hop use of the word…with those much younger then me!). I believe Sambo is like that. Highly offensive in Britain though possibly nowhere else.
Just for the record in NZ the racialy offensive (older) terms were Hori and Coconut.
Continuing with CK’s comments, I remember it being used in the 70’s British sitcom Love Thy Neighbour. I get the impression that, although that show was no doubt trying to break down barriers, use of “sambo” on British broadcast television was certainly cutting edge then.
I think it’s like “Jacky” or Jacky-Jacky" with Australian Aborigines. Probably not overtly racist originally, but more blunderingly paternalistic, and the racism piled on later.
I remember seeing the “Little Black Sambo” books when I was younger for a bit – then they disappeared. I agree with calm kiwi about “coconut” but “hori” has been replaced by "dirty Maori"or “Maori bastard” around where I live, sadly. And folks from the Indian sub-continent get called “curries”. “Sambo” would seem mild by comparison, being mainly meaningless.
I was watching the Goodies episode on South Africa (the Apart-Height one) this evening and as part of the film they made for the South Africans they had “Sambo Enterprises” on an office building.
Of course the whole thing was ripping on apartheid and the people who would use the term. That must have been late 70’s - early 80’s?
I’ve heard ‘Abo’ used both as a racial epithet and as a simple contraction (much like saying “Brits” rather than British or English, depends on the place & person.
It was in common use in Britain - but it wasn’t perceived as a particulalrly offensive term. It was used more for comic effect, similar to Taffy or Jock.
Needless to say it is no longer in use.
BTW there was nothing cutting edge about Love Thy Neighbour. It really was about a bloke who didn’t like living next door to a black family.
“Bint” isn’t offensive. Really it isn’t. The only ladies who would be offended by it are the sort with hairy legs and CND badges. You’ve been to England you know that we are world class at invective, and quite hard to offend.
Also on the “sambo” word. Many of the Brits who would use it would’t think it was offensive, but that didn’t mean that the person on the receiving end wasn’t offended.
Yeah I know. I was just kinda trying to point out that your love of “Pommyisms” might have made you less objective.
For the record I love Pommyland…best 2 years ever
Enid Blyton was banned in libraries for a few years here cause she was all nasty and racist and sexist. I could of sworn “sambo” was one of the reasons (thankfully I was born in the right generation and saw myself as the tough George of the famous Five and was “ever so upset” she was banned, it took “lashings of gingerbeer” to recover) ).
“Love thy Neighbour” must have rattled a cage or two in it’s day.
Sambo IIRC is from the Spanish Zambo. It is a term to describe the ethnic mixture of a person. Mestizo is a person of european and indian ancestry. Mulatto is a person of african and european ancestry. Zambo is a person of african and indian ancestry. As such, these are not slurs, merely descriptions.
I have posted this on a common sambo thread – look it up.
Actually there is a question, because as offensive as it’s supposed to be, I couldn’t find any account of anyone actually using it. It’s as though suddenly everybody decided this word was bad because of the book, and assumed the name must have had some pejorative meaning. That’s why I am digging for cites. When I search google, the results are overwhelmingly contaminated with references to the book. That makes finding pre-Bannerman “sambo” references problematic.
“Sambo” would seem mild by comparison, being mainly meaningless.